Oshawa woman banned from owning animals for 10 years

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Oshawa, ON (December 3, 2018) – A 23-year-old woman from Oshawa has been sentenced to a 10-year ban on owning or caring for animals after being convicted under provincial animal welfare legislation following an investigation relating to the treatment of a dog in her care.

Holly Wood pled guilty on November 26, 2018 in a Whitby Provincial Offences Court to failing to comply with prescribed standards of care. The Justice of the Peace sentenced Wood to a 10-year prohibition on owning or caring for any animals and ordered her to pay a fine of $500.

An investigation was launched by the Ontario SPCA after a deceased dog was discovered on March 20, 2018 by a hiker in a conservation area in Oshawa. The body of the approximately two-year-old male Cane Corso-type dog had been wrapped in plastic, which was taped shut. The dog’s spine, hip bones and ribs were observed to be protruding, suggesting he had been severely malnourished when he died. The dog was also observed to have sores on his body and overgrown nails.

A necropsy confirmed the dog was emaciated due to starvation and determined that he had died as a result of pneumonia. Evidence suggests the dog’s body was dumped around March 8, 2018.

“The neglect and suffering this dog endured is inexcusable,” says Alison Green, Senior Inspector, Ontario SPCA. “If you are unable to care for your animals, contact the Ontario SPCA or your local humane society to discuss options available to ensure your pet gets the care it needs.”